Blog Tour: The Vintage Springtime Club by Beatrice Meier / Extract

„Newly retired Philip returns home to Cologne and is thrown into emotional turmoil upon bumping into his long-lost sweetheart. In the midst of a domestic crisis, Ricarda confides in Philip that she is looking for somewhere to live. And there and then, Philip suggests that she move in with him – he is setting up a flatshare. Will she join him with his mischievous dachshund named Ralf?

To his surprise, Ricarda agrees, leaving Philip to scramble together a crew of retires in time for spring, for the most unlikely of social experiments. There’s grumpy cigarette-smoking grandfather Harry; quiet and discreet Eckart, curiously carting around his late wife’s headstone; Uschi, brimming with life, harbouring a passion for leotards and aerobics, along with sausages and outrageous knitting patterns; and then, ever-practical and warm-hearted Ricarda, towards whom Phillip is developing real feelings.

Despite their differences, the flatmates thrive and embark on a series of new adventures. But when Uschi falls unwell, familiar cracks begin to show and this uniquely spirited club of friends must work together in order to survive – and truly blossom.”

Doesn’t it sound brilliant? I can’t wait to read the whole book, and if you are the same, here is the good news: I have an excerpt for you! Enjoy!

Paper plates. Paper plates on their first evening! Somewhat

annoyed, Ricarda fetched her last three psychology books

from the bottom of the box and slotted them into her bookcase.

All because Harry couldn’t look where he was going.

She pulled one of the books forward a tiny bit. She liked

them to be perfectly aligned with the edge of the shelf. That

way she could be sure no dust would settle there. She took a

step back. Her new bookcase looked pretty good.

She folded the empty cardboard box and carried it to the

front door. She couldn’t help but smile as she passed the

kitchen. Uschi was sitting at the kitchen table, absorbed

with folding green napkins into fans to liven up the plain

white paper plates. She was a real darling, that Uschi. And

there were some nice smells coming from the stove, too.

Yet Ricarda’s surge of contentment was immediately dampened by the sight of the piles of pans, pots, chopping